Shadow and Light Part One
by JolinarLunare
Summary: The river is wide and I cannot swim over, nor have I the wings to fly... I wish I had a handsome boatman to ferry me over, my love and I... I wish I was back home again...
1. Prologue: Premonitions of Death

Prologue:  
  
Premonitions of Death  
  
Britain, 908 a.d.  
  
"Princess?"  
  
Princess Cathrine could not see the intruder, but she recognized the voice as belonging to Morgan, one of the guards of her father's castle, and the mate of Elizabeth, the castle's priestess.  
  
"What do you come to me for, Morgan?"  
  
There was a long sigh and Cathrine turned around. He was standing in the shadows, though his pale green eyes seemed to glow from the darkness.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I have had a premonition," Morgan said quietly after a long pause.  
  
"When?"  
  
"One of your servants, Jeffrey, left the castle just this eve without a word. It came to me after he passed through the gates."  
  
"I suspected that he would be leaving us soon. What did you see?"  
  
"He will bring death upon us all. He is possessed, I believe, by a Shadow. He will bring an army down upon us. We will all die and this kingdom will fall."  
  
There was another pause as Cathrine thought about this.  
  
"Where will they attack?"  
  
"From the east. They will only attack the castle. The village will be safe."  
  
"And there is no wall around this castle."  
  
"Nay. Perhaps we could evacuate, escape through the Isle to the continent?"  
  
"Nay, it doesn't matter where we go, they will find us, and my father will not abandon this kingdom, nor will I."  
  
"Well, then we should prepare for battle."  
  
"Aye, but tell no one what you have told me."  
  
"I know. It would cause panic."  
  
"Are you going to tell Elizabeth?"  
  
He thought for a long moment.  
  
"Nay," he said at last. "I do not wish to frighten her. I will wait until it is almost upon us, then she will have to know."  
  
"You're hiding something, Morgan."  
  
He let his eyes slip away from hers for a moment before looking up and answering.  
  
"I am not destined to return to Earth with the rest of you. I will be killed by a Spirit Arrow, but when given the chance to return, I will not be destined to take it."  
  
"What of your mate?"  
  
"I plead with you not to tell her. Wait until I die to tell her as I will be the first to fall."  
  
"Very well, but I must tell her before her both die. With so many souls that will be going through the Gate of Life, we might lose each other in all that mess."  
  
"I agree. I must go to her now, by your leave."  
  
"You may go."  
  
He quickly knelt before turning on his heal and walking briskly towards the door. He paused and turned back for a moment.  
  
"Oh, and do not worry about my mate, she will find another."  
  
And with out explaining that statement, he left the chamber. 


	2. Chapter One: Last Night

Chapter One:  
  
Last Night  
  
"Quit trying to avoid the question, Morgan," Elizabeth said impatiently. They were all in the great hall at evening meal, and she and her mate were sitting across from each other at one of the three long table away from the other inhabitants of the castle. Morgan looked down at his plate to avoid looking at his beloved's imploring dark green eyes. She tugged at his heart when she looked at him like that. She tapped his leg with a bare foot to get his attention.  
  
"Morgan," she said gently. He looked up. She made no effort to keep all the love and concern she felt for him from showing in her eyes. Her eyes showed all. She was becoming exceptionally worried about him. For almost a month he had been behaving strangely, though the change was so subtle that only she had noticed it.  
  
"'Tis nothing, my love," he said, reaching across the table and taking her idle hand in his own.  
  
"It most certainly is."  
  
"You will know all when the time comes. Trust me."  
  
She bit her lip but remained silent. She hated it when he was vague like this, keeping her in the dark about something that she felt she had every right to know, but it was his nature and he would not be swayed, so she pressed the matter no farther.  
  
"Okay, then may I ask why you and the other guards and the soldiers are so vigorously preparing as though for war?"  
  
"We should always be prepared."  
  
"Aye, I know, but you have even gone so far as to make sure that even my fighting skills are flawless, both magickally and physically."  
  
"I just want to make sure you can defend yourself."  
  
"You had me ride deep into the forest and had me purify an area of over fifty miles."  
  
He only shrugged, and she knew she would get no more out of him, so she changed the topic again.  
  
"Has there been any news of that servant Jeffrey?"  
  
"Nay. I don't think he planned on returning when he left. I hope he's gone for good."  
  
"Hope? My love, that is a horrible thing to say."  
  
"I do not mean it as such," he said thinking quickly. "I just mean that I don't think that he was looking for is here."  
  
"You mean his feelings for Princess Cathrine?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
"I pity him myself, but Cathrine wasn't meant for him. She belongs with Reynold."  
  
"How observant you are, Elizabeth." They looked up and saw Cathrine standing over them.  
  
"Aye, I know," Elizabeth said sardonically. "Sit with us."  
  
"Nay, I am sorry. I am going to retire shortly, but first I would like a word with you, Morgan."  
  
Morgan reluctantly stood, not wanting to leave Elizabeth, but knew that it must be important for Cathrine wanting to tell him right then. He came around the table and bent over, gave Elizabeth a quick kiss on the cheek. Before he could stand again, however, her hand shot up and she threaded her nimble fingers through his bright red hair, holding his face before hers. He looked into her eyes, wondering what she was about.  
  
"I will be in our chamber when you return, love," she whispered. She kissed him on the lips then, so passionately that when it ended it was a few moment before he was aware of himself again. Elizabeth saw Cathrine out of the corner of her eye trying desperately not to laugh.  
  
"Aye," he said quickly. "I will not be long."  
  
"Morgan accompanied Cathrine out onto a nearby balcony. She turned to face him, her dark blue eyes unreadable.  
  
"Aye, Princess?" he said after a long pause.  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"They are coming tomorrow, just after the sun sets."  
  
He felt his blood turn to ice.  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Aye. I had the premonition just after darkness fell. I know it will happen then."  
  
He swallowed but didn't say anything.  
  
"Go to Elizabeth, Morgan. Tell her tonight so she will be prepared. Spend your last night here with her."  
  
"Aye, my lady.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Elizabeth," Morgan said as he entered there chamber. She was standing looking out the window but turned away at the sound of his voice. "Come to me." She walked over to him, her white silk Priestess robes with gold trim billowing as she walked. When she reached him he took her in his strong arms and pulled her against his body, resting his chin the locks of her long ebony hair.  
  
"Morgan, what is it?" she asked him quietly after a few moments. He pulled away from her just far enough to see her beautiful face. The sorrow she saw there broke her heart. "My love?"  
  
"Earlier this eve you asked me what was bothering me, and I told you that you would know when the time comes. The time has come."  
  
His beloved gave no reaction, merely lifted a delicately shaped eyebrow in question.  
  
"We were talking of Jeffrey earlier, remember?"  
  
"Aye."  
  
"About a month ago, on the night he left, I had a premonition. He has been possessed by a Shadow. Love, he will bring an army down upon this castle. All within or who defend it will perish, and this kingdom will fall."  
  
Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"I would never have believed..." suddenly her eyes cleared of emotion, "wait, nay, I would," she said on a second thought. "His jealousy would make him an easy victim." Then her eyes filled with unrepentant hatred. "Bloody hell. He... they have no right to cut our lives and the lives of the others short. I shant allow it!"  
  
"Nothing can change our futures. You learned this lesson long ago, several times , I might add."  
  
Her eyes filled with tears of fury and her body became as tense as a bow string. He pulled her against him again, stroking her blue-black hair soothingly for several long moments until the tenseness had been drawn out of her.  
  
"Come. Lets go outside," he suggested. "Lets enjoy the last night in this place." He felt her nod against him and he pulled away from her, taking her hand in is own, and leading her from the chamber.  
  
~*~*~  
  
They were running though the woods, laughing just for the fun of it, under the light of the full moon, and soon they came upon their favorite clearing. Here they stood together, breathing heavily, and they looked up at the starts, their arms around each other.  
  
"I will be missing this life," she admitted after a few moments of silence. "I don't reckon that I shall be able to return before the way of life on this land has changed again."  
  
"I am sure that the new will be just as good, if not better than the old. Life in ancient Egypt was much different by far than life here."  
  
"True. It is much colder here. And you never met anyone with hair red, like yours or Cathrine's in Egypt. They all looked the same."  
  
He smiled in amusement.  
  
"And you were still a priestess then."  
  
"I guess I always will be, but remember, I was a priestess long before I came to Earth... Maybe one day there will be no such thing as priestesses. Religion has a life span just like everything else."  
  
"I hope not, it seems to be your only way of blending in with any group of people. But I suppose you are right. one day it will have to go."  
  
She up at him and kissed him gently on the lips.  
  
"Are you saying that I am too odd to survive outside of religion?" she asked teasingly.  
  
"Aye, in a way you are."  
  
She kissed him again, passionately this time, fueling the fire between them. Both their minds became clouded with passion. His hands slid the white robes open and off her shoulders, down her arms, until the were pooled around her feet. Seconds later he had slid the white dress that had been under it off her shoulders and onto the ground, and her shift followed it. He stopped kissing her then and stepped back, looking at her body draped in nothing but moonlight. His eyes traveled down her breasts, past her small waist, over her slim hips, and down her long shapely legs. He wanted to memorize every inch of her, knowing that this would be the last time he would ever be with her like this. He quickly stripped out of his own garments and they pressed their bodies together. He kissed her again, stopping only once to spread her robe out on the ground and lay them both down upon it.  
  
An urgency in the very air told them that they would soon be parted; their loveplay was rough and frenzied in it's intensity. His lips licked and kissed her entire body, filling his senses with the taste and touch of her. Elizabeth's emotions were so intense, her kisses turned to bites. Her mouth moved down his throat down over his muscular chest. When he finally thrust within her, she felt she would faint from the pleasure. In a time that is never, ever long enough for lover's they both gained their release and lay next to each other, utterly content for the moment.  
  
"I love you," she whispered.  
  
"And I will always love you."  
  
"Always," she whispered as she lay her head on his chest. 


	3. Chapter Two: The First to Fall

Chapter Two:  
  
The First to Fall  
  
"I can see them coming," Elizabeth said. She, Morgan, Reynold, and Cathrine were on a balcony that faced the east. Elizabeth was using her second sight to determine the whereabouts of the enemy. "There are over a thousand of them."  
  
"How long until they get here?" Cathrine asked.  
  
"Hold on... aye, they are not far... they will most certainly be here by dusk."  
  
"Okay, come back, Elizabeth," Cathrine said. After a few seconds Elizabeth's eyes focused again and she looked at them sadly. "It's okay, we will come back again," Cathrine said comfortingly.  
  
"I know," she sighed.  
  
"Well, we'd best make sure the men are prepared by sundown."  
  
"We will see to that," Morgan and Reynold said together. They left the chamber and Cathrine and Elizabeth were left alone.  
  
"Are you going to change for battle?" Cathrine asked her.  
  
"Of course, we wouldn't want to die wearing dresses, would we? But I will, however, wear my priestess robes." Cathrine went to a wardrobe on the far end of the room where both women kept their men's clothing that they had made just for them. They kept it all in one wardrobe in the princess's room so no one would find it and think them unorthodox. They changed into the clothes, Elizabeth wearing tight black pants and a red poet style shirt, and Cathrine in the same but her shirt was white. Elizabeth put her white robes back on over it and tied them shut, adjusting them here and there to make sure that they would not get in the way when she had to fight. Cathrine went and opened a chest where they both kept thier most valued weapons.  
  
"What are you going to fight with?" Cathrine asked as she pulled out her favorite weapon; a finely made bow with a panther carved on the sides and a quiver of arrows. Elizabeth squinted her eyes and saw that there were Spirit Arrows (spiritual arrows that few knew how to make and would not only kill the body, but the soul in a most painful way, sending it through the Gate of Souls) in that quiver.  
  
"Spirit Arrows, huh?"  
  
"We are fighting an army, and as it is being led by Jeffrey, who is possessed by a Shadow, I am willing to bet my life that there will be other Shadows in that army."  
  
"I know, I know, I meant that you already have a store of them."  
  
"I have been making as many as my energy will handle every day since I knew of the attack." Cathrine strapped the quiver to her back, and the attached the bow to that.  
  
"Since the premonition."  
  
"Aye."  
  
"Why did neither of you tell me?"  
  
"Morgan did not want you to upset you."  
  
"Hmmm..." Elizabeth said as Cathrine pulled out a beautifully sword, the best one that she owned. It was light and had more engravings of panther's on the blade, as well as on the jeweled handle.  
  
"Might as well go down in style," she said as she strapped it around her waist. Elizabeth walked over to the chest and looked at her weapons. She chose a spiritual weapon; her Tiara of Protection, which Morgan had given her as a gift when they were both living in the Magickal Realm. He had also given her a Tiara of Power, but that was to intensify her purification powers for the making of a purification field, and that would be no good in this battle. She would not purify because all souls around her that were not pure white, in other words all but her's and Jeffrey's, would not only be killed, but completely and utterly destroyed. She wore her Tiara of Protection because it would deflect all spritual attacks sent her way. She then chose a sword with an emerald encrusted hilt and a leopard engraved into the blade, as well as a dagger with a hilt in the shape of a dragon colored black wth golden teeth and eyes. It was an exquisite peice of work and her favorite of all her daggers.  
  
"Nice choice," Cathrine commented.  
  
"Might as well go down in style," Elizabeth echoed. "Want to do some practicing?"  
  
"Aye." They went down to the courtyard where Reynold and Morgan were telling the men about the attack and making sure they were prepared for it. However, they withheld the information about the fact that they would be fighting against Shadow Deamons.  
  
Elizabeth and Cathrine took out the swords, and fought against eachother for almost an hour, not wanting to become tired before the competition. Elizabeth could feel Morgan's eyes watching her the whole time, and she put more of herself into it. At length they stopped, unable to triumph over the other.  
  
"Before we stop, we should block at least one arrow each first," Eliabeth said.  
  
"One at the heart," Cathrine said taking out an arrow, "and one at the head." She took aim directly at Elizabeth's heart as Elizabeth herself redied her sword to block it, holding it at hip level. Cathrine let loose the arrow and Elizabeth blocked it with ease, bringing the sword up just as it reached her. The arrow bounced off and hit the ground. Cathrine the took aim at her head, and she blocked that one with just as much ease. They then switched places, and Elizabeth fired the arrow first directly at Cathrine's heart, then at her head. Cathrine blocked both with ease, and they retrieved the arrows. By this time there was only an hour left of daylight. When they realized this they both went over to Reynold and Morgan., who were overseeing the preparations. They all broke for one last meal with their loved ones. Morgan was dragged into the great hall by an overwhelmed Elizabeth  
  
"There's so little time left," she said through the middle of dinner. Morgan looked at her tenderly and took her hand. She had barely eaten a thing. "Morgan, why do I get the feeling there is something you are not telling me. I getting this feeling that this is the last time that we will see eachother."  
  
"Don't be silly, my love," he said, ignoring the guilt he felt. "I will admit to you now that I will be the first to die. But I want you to fight on, kill as many of those bastards and send them on after me."  
  
Elizabeth bit her lip but said nothing. She had had a nagging feeling that she would never see him again, and try though she might to push it aside, it would not leave her. She stood then, and pulled him into their chamber, where they made love for the last time, emerging from the chamber just before dusk. They met with Cathrine and Reynold on a balcony facing the East, and Reynold was just leaving to rally the men. They were to make a large circle around the castle where there would other wise have been a wall.  
  
"Well, here goes nothing," Cathrine said. Half the sun had already disappeared over the horizon. "My father is well protected in the throne room."  
  
"Farewell sun," Elizabeth whispered. Cathrine left them descretely alone, and Elizabeth and Morgan clung to each other for the last time.  
  
"I love you," she said, "I love you forever. For always."  
  
"And I will love you forever. For always."  
  
"Goodbye, my love."  
  
He kissed her passionately. She could hardly bring herself to let go of him, but reluctantly he pulled away from her. He walked down the steps and out to the courtyard, standing on the eastmost side the of castle, on the very outside of the cirlce of men. He took his place just as the sun disappeared. Suddenly the earth seemed to tremble and the horizon burst with an army of soldiers, almost all on horseback.  
  
Morgan turned away from them and faced the castle. He could make out his beloved on the balcony, illuminated by torches, Cathrine stading next to her. He and Elizabeth looked right into each other's eyes and he saw a single tear fall down her left cheek. He heard the whistle of the arrow right before it entered his back and peirced his heart. He fell to his kness, yelling in agony, still looking into his lover's beautiful green eyes for the last time, and her image blurred out of focus as everything went black.  
  
Elizabeth gasped when Morgan collapsed on the ground, unmoving, and she realized that he had not been killed by any regular arrow, but a Spirit Arrow. She looked and saw the one who had fired it. All she saw was a pair as shimmering gray eyes with a scar across the left one before he disappeared. She fell to her knees, blinded by silent tears, and felt Cathrine's hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Be strong for him, my Leopard Princess," she said. Elizabeth hadn't heard her call her that since they had been in the Magickal Realm. She dashed the tears from her eyes determinedly and stood, watching the armys clash. The pain was gone, and in seconds she had turned into a merciless killing machine. 


	4. Chapter Three: Lost

Chapter Three:  
  
Lost  
  
For what seemed an eternity Elizabeth stood on that balcony. Cathrine stood next to her, shooting arrows at various Shadows, and Elizabeth herself threw Pure Daggers (daggers made from purification energy) at the opposing army, which would destroy them the instant it touched them, as they screamed in agony. She felt no pity, she wanted them to feel the pain, and her only regret was not being able to cause them more of it.  
  
Despite their efforts, however, it did not take long for the Shadows to break through. In only minutes their forces had retreated to the inside of the castle, locking the doors to keep the opposing forces out. Again, the defenses did not last long, and soon they had entered the castle.  
  
"Elizabeth! Come, to my chamber!" Cathrine yelled. They ran to her chamber as fast as they could, managing to avoid any of the enemy along the way. Once within, they locked the door and Cathrine turned to Elizabeth with such a look of sorrow that Elizabeth's hardness of emotion was evaporated, and again she felt the sorrow of losing her mate. Tears began to fall down her cheeks again.  
  
"Elizabeth, there is something Morgan wished for me to tell you after he died."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well, you see, Morgan... won't be coming back."  
  
"What do you mean," she asked desperately.  
  
"He told me that he was not destined to return with us."  
  
"I will never see him again."  
  
There was a long pause before Cathrine answered.  
  
"Nay, you will not."  
  
Elizabeth let out a pitiful cry and sank to the ground. She looked up at the ceiling, her eyes blank and emotionless.  
  
"Elizabeth!" Cathrine said, feeling for one moment that she had died, but when she knelt down she felt a pulse at her throat. "Elizabeth?" she said gently. Elizabeth's eyes flicked to hers, but they were wide and eerie. "Come on, Elizabeth," she said, taking her hand and pulling her to the standing position. Elizabeth willing stood, but as soon as Cathrine let go, she bolted for the balcony, yanked the door open and climbed up onto the stone wall. Cathrine ran after her and pulled her down just as she tried to jump, and she slammed onto her back on the stone ground.  
  
"Let me go!" she yelled, struggling and crying as Cathrine held her down.  
  
"Elizabeth!" Cathrine yelled, and she stopped struggling and looked at her. In the light of the torches Cathrine could see Elizabeth's eyes, they were wide and livid, and Cathrine could tell she had gone mad. The blow of losing her mate for ever was more than she could bear. "Come inside with me," she whispered. She helped her stand and they returned to her chamber, and she made her sit on the bed.  
  
"Just relax and look into my eyes. All will be well, my princess."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Cathrine left the chamber several minutes later and instantly collided with Patrick, another one of the castle residents.  
  
"Your Grace, your father, King Omav, has been killed," he informed her.  
  
"Oh, no. What of Reynold?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I had to separate him. The two halves are now fighting it out, and it looks like his bad side is succeeding. I had to do it, or the weapon would have been used prematurely."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"I am unsure, I came to find you and Elizabeth."  
  
"Elizabeth will not be of any help anymore."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She went mad once I told her that Morgan would not return to her. I am afraid that I had to block her memories. She will not remember anything about who she is, or any lives she lives hereafter until they are removed."  
  
"And her powers."  
  
"Those will be inaccessible to her as well."  
  
"I was afraid of that."  
  
"Come we must find Reynold."  
  
They ran down the hall to the left, and Cathrine suddenly sensed his presense. It was moving fast, but...  
  
"Oh no, I must go back, go help the others!" she said, running as fast as she could back the way they came. When her chamber came into sight she saw that the door had been broken open. Just as she reached it she heard a bone- chilling scream. She reached the door and looked inside. There was Elizabeth, laying on the floor right by the door, her long blue-black hair covering her face, a puddle of blood around her. She was dead. Cathrine knew that before she even reached her to see if there was a pulse. She looked up and saw Reynold's tall handsome figure coming closer to her.  
  
"No, Reynold, don't!" she cried. He stopped and she watched him as he struggled with himself. His good and evil halves were fighting it out, and Cathrine watched, sensing that is good half was finally starting to get the upper hand. It was then that it happened. She felt a spirit arrow peirce her heart from the front, and she screamed, the pain was almost beyond bearing, but she knew it would not kill her, her deamon half protected her from that, but she glimped a tall figure leap off the balcony.  
  
"Cathrine!" she heard Reynold's voice, and was flooded with relief, knowing that his good half had won the battle. Before she could say anything to him, she felt another arrow peirce her heart from the back. This was a real arrow. Reynold cried out in rage and threw a dagger towards the door where it lodged into Jeffrey's throat, who grabbed it and pulled it out, but it was too late, as he sank to the ground, suffocating on his own blood as it filled his lungs. Reynolf grabbed Cathrine by the shoulders and pulled her up from the ground as blood poured profusely out of her. Her face was completely white, her eyes closed, her body getting colder by the second.  
  
"Cathrine," Reynold whispered, weeping for the loss of his love. He took her lifeless body in his arms then and carried her out of the room. He continued down through the halls, oblivious to the murdering around him, not hearing the screams, not seeing the weapons that flew dangerously close to him, and did not stop until he had left the castle and carried her out onto the field. Here he placed his love onto the ground and knelt next to her. He took out a beautiful dagger with and emerald encrusted hilt. He lay next to her and put one arm around her waist. He closed his eyes then, and then, tears rolling down his cheeks, put the tip of the blade right above his heart and forced it through. He didn't feel the pain, he only felt Cathrine in his arms as life spead away from him. And behind them the castle was on fire, burning to the ground. Lovers had been separated, so many lives had been lossed, and the kingdom had fallen. 


End file.
